"I just think because I was a wild card I don't need to be saved again," said the eliminated singer to E! News. "This is my second chance from last year and then I got a second chance with wild card. You only get so many second chances in life."

He admitted that after singing "Master Blaster" by Stevie Wonder, "I had a feeling I wasn't going to get saved. I was saved already from the wild card. Even though that song didn't really show off anything, I wanted to leave on a happy note, on something fun. I didn't want it to be something sad."

However, DeAndre has no regrets. "I'm glad I got eliminated the way I did. I went off on a good note. I went off happy. It wasn't a sad moment in the way where I had a regret or I did something wrong. I have no regrets and I did what I needed to do."

So what's next for adorable DeAndre? The rite of passage for every other teenager, of course -- prom! The high schooler has the show to thank for his newfound excitement.

"Idol really brought the confidence out of me. At the previous dances I worked as coat-taker and ticket-taker and stuff like that," he explained. "Now I feel comfortable enough to go to a prom and just enjoy it. I'm glad I get to enjoy life as a kid; just the little things as a kid and then go enjoy the high life of Idol. I guess I get the best of both worlds."

His self-esteem wasn't so apparent before, even though his classmates -- and American Idol voters -- thought otherwise. "I was homecoming king, but I was ticket-taker then bag-checker and stuff because I was just so uncomfortable with myself."